Lincoln man charged in car crash which killed Husker band member last month

BRENT MARTINNovember 20, 2018

LINCOLN - A 29-year-old Lincoln man has been charged with motor vehicle homicide after Lincoln police determined he was driving up to 92-miles-per-hour prior to the collision last month with a car full of people, which left a University of Nebraska band member dead.

The Lincoln Police Department reports Waltrivelish Watson has been arrested in connection with the death of 20-year-old Tyler Butterfield of Norfolk.

Butterfield and five other band members were in a car which pulled onto Nebraska Highway Two after a pep band performance at Blue Blood Brewing Company the night before the Husker football game against Bethune-Cookman.

It was just after 10:30pm October 26th when Watson, driving south on 10th Street, crashed into the car.

Watson reported the vehicle pulled out in front of him.

Lincoln police investigators found evidence he had been speeding. Police obtained a search warrant for Watson’s vehicle. The airbag control module confirmed Watson was driving 88 mph five second prior to the collision and 92 three seconds prior, according to the Lincoln Police Department.

Butterfield played trumpet with the Husker marching band. He was a 2016 graduate of Norfolk High School. The five others in the car, including driver Jenna McCoy, were injured.